


Draco's Department For Endangered Creatures

by fairydrarry



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Harry's a dork, M/M, draco runs a pet store
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-25
Updated: 2016-12-25
Packaged: 2018-09-12 03:29:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9053383
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fairydrarry/pseuds/fairydrarry
Summary: Harry wants to adopt a magical creature, and he finds the perfect little snake in Draco's pet store.





	

**Author's Note:**

> christmas gift for my friend suha!! ( profile is btamin check her out she's p cool ) i had a lot of fun writing this short lil ficlet :')

Harry pulled open the glass door, still blushing from his attempt to push the entrance. I mean, _Merlin_ , the door had a sign of the word ‘PULL’ on it. He adjusted his glasses, glancing around the magical creature shop.

Owls missing chunks of their beaks or clumps of feathers hooted calmly within their silver wire cages, and tiny toads croaked loudly and passionately, contained in the artificially lit tanks lining the bottom of the walls. Harry’s eye caught on a small gerbil-like creature exercising on a tiny plastic wheel in its own little tank. It was a hamster, but… a bit more purple? Harry shook his head, glancing over the cats prowling around on the marble tiles of the store, their patterned fur various pastel colors. He faintly heard the swish of a phoenix’s tail, but didn’t pay much attention to it.

“Hello, and welcome to Draco’s Department for Endangered Creatures! We have a sale for the owls, if you’d like to take a look,” A man’s voice broke through Harry’s concentration on a tiny grass snake slithering around a golden pole. It was situated in the center of the small shop, and seemed to poke its tongue out curiously at an unfamiliar smell.

A lean, blond man slightly taller than Harry peeked his head out the doorway located in the back of the shop. His hair flopped messily, and a large grin displayed his bright white teeth. His grin, however, was crooked, as was the name tag pinned sloppily on his striped button-up. The minuscule label read ‘Draco’, and Harry had a flashback of seeing the name somewhere in his post-secondary Latin class.

“You can take them out of their cages, if you fancy.” Draco pulled his entire body through the doorway, casually making his way towards Harry, who had turned his fascinating gaze onto the man who seemed to be the storeowner.

“Oh, uh,” Harry stuttered, unsure whether he wanted to pick up the snake or ask for information on the miniature reptile. “How are you?” Harry spoke passively in English, before switching and hissing a few words to the snake, inquiring its wellbeing. The brunet had directed the question towards the snake, before belatedly realizing that the snake would most likely not respond and if it did, the young blond in front of him would be very confused. Harry coughed awkwardly, feeling Draco’s lips fall into a lazy smile as his stormy grey eyes trailed over Harry’s form.

“I’m good-“ “ _I’m very well, thank you for asking._ ” Draco began, before being cut off by the reptile scaling the column in the middle of the room. After a moment of reflection, Harry realized he himself was infinitely more surprised at the snake responding than Draco was. In fact, the other man just looked in awe. Harry could have sworn the snake had smirked at Harry’s shocked expression, but snakes cannot smirk. At least, Harry had never seen one smirk, so he couldn’t call back on any past experiences of smirking snakes.

“I didn’t know he understood English.” The blond raised a lone eyebrow. “Huh.” Draco did not react at all to the fact that a strange man walked into his shop and spoke Parseltongue, and that the snake actually _responded_. He shot the reptile another smile, which made the corner of Harry’s lips contagiously slide upwards. “I didn’t know he was actually magical.” Draco strolled behind the counter in three quick strides, tapping on the island four times in rapid succession.

“You see, he’s not endangered, but I found him on the side of the road, slithering in the sewers. I didn’t think he had any magical properties, but he seemed a bit lonely, and he liked all the colors in here.” Draco waved his hand around the shop, signaling to the colorful displays and refractions of the sun’s rays passing through the front store glass windows. “Plus, his scales are magnificent.” The snake’s scales glittered bright green as if in response to the shop owner’s compliment.

“Can I buy him?” Harry’s voice cracked slightly as the reptile slithering onto the brunet’s arm, tickling the man. His question was impulsive, Harry was sure, and he didn’t even know how much the snake costed, but he was also adamant that the snake would be better company than the fake plants Harry pretended to care for. Draco’s face lit up, his grin brightening the small enclosure immediately.

“Of course!” Draco’s eyes filled with contentedness. “But you have to learn about where he originated from, and how his parents are doing, and you must find out about his family history - and how to take care of him!” Draco bustled around the store, picking up pamphlets and bags of pellets Harry assumed were meant for creature consumption. “That’s the most important part, you know. Of adopting an animal.” The blond pulled out a wand from behind his ear, that Harry didn’t even notice, and wrapped the items neatly as he waved magical motions in the air, mouthing quiet spells as his wand emitted sparks in the direction of the objects. “You have to know how to provide a happy and warm home. So,” Draco smiled at Harry’s speechless face. “If you don’t mind sitting down with me for a bit, I’ll explain everything.”

Harry and Draco sat in the chairs near the entrance of the store, and spent at least two hours discussing the corn snake that coiled respectfully on the coffee table between the two gentlemen. They also may or may not have exchanged numbers. For when Harry “had any questions on how to keep the slithering bloke happy”.


End file.
